All in the Family
by PrincessLoza1994
Summary: When Dot Branning goes to the cemetery to pay her respects to her friend, she encounters a young adolescent and suspects he's causing trouble. But this boy has a huge secret and thus begins a path of love, betrayal, murder and most importantly, the meaning of family. It's rated M for violence in later chapters and for bad language.
1. Chapter 1 The Boy

The cemetery was deserted and Dot Branning felt the familiar sadness overcome her as she walked across the grass towards the grave of her best friend Ethel Skinner. She made frequent visits to the cemetery primarily because she was getting on in age and she didn't know how much time she had left. She came towards the grave and laid the flowers against the headstone, "Oh Ethel, I miss you time and time again." She said sadly as she knealt in front of the headstone. "Jim's in a care home now and I can't help but feel guilty about him being stuck in there. He should be with family." Dot always talked to the grave as she believed that Ethel listened to her wherever she was. "Anyway I can't stand here chatting all day, I promised Mr Phadoulpous that I do overtime at the laundrette, I'll come again next week." But as she got up, she noticed a figure lurking by the graves of members of the beale family and decided to investigate and as she got nearer and nearer, she saw the figure was that of an adolescent boy.

He was tall for his age, he had dark brooding looks and it was clear at first glance that he was handsome but he also was scruffy looking, dressed head to foot in a grey tracksuit, his hair was greasy and he looked unshaven. "Oh, I say young man, you shouldn't parade in a cemetery dressed like that, this is a resting place for the dead and quite frankly you are being disrespectful!", she shrieked. The boy started swaying slightly and Dot suspected that he was drunk. "Where are your parents young man or more to the points, who are your parents?!", the boys eyes became unfocused and he was seeing two Dots instead of one, then he spoke faintly, "Carol Jackson and David Wicks. I'm their son." And then he collapsed.

The last thing he saw before he entered unconsciousness was Dot frantically yelling for help while a passerby phoned for an ambulance.


	2. Chapter 2 The Boys Tale

Harley Wicks' s eyes flickered open as the sound of the heart monitor was beeping. He saw a group of nurses walking around and wondered where he was. His vision started becoming clearer and then he saw the old woman whom he encountered in the cemetery sitting at his bedside and reading from what looked like a prayer book. He slowly began to sit up and Dot who had been transfixed by certain passages in the bible looked up, "How are you feeling?", She asked, noticing how the boy in front of her looked the spitting image of David Wicks but he had Carols dark blue eyes and her slender frame. He was clearly a mixture of Branning and Wicks. "I'm ok, Mrs uh?", he didn't know her name, "Branning. Dorothy Branning.", She said with a smile and Harley smiled back,"Oh,your my grandads wife ain't ya?", he exclaimed, his handsome face lighting up and Dot smiled again, "That's right. So, why did you collapse?", She asked again, intrigued by her husband's long lost grandson. Harley looked at her and shrugged, "I took some pills earlier today, I thought they were aspirin but I thought wrong didn't I?", he saw Dot raise her eyebrows, "I didn't try to kill myself if that's what your thinking!", his voice was rising and Dot was stunned. Then he felt guilty, "I'm sorry Mrs Branning. I just had to come here and see my parents that's all." A Doctor came in then clutching a folder, "Hello Harley I'm Doctor Spencer, I've been examining you and I'm pleased there won't be any long term damage.", Harley smiled, "Thanks Doc, can I go home now?", he asked and the Doctor nodded but then he looked serious, "Try and be careful about what you take in the future." He said firmly but he smiled again. As he began getting dressed, Dot said kindly, "Look, why don't you come home with me, eh?" Harley was surprised then, "Are you sure Mrs Branning?", he asked, not sure whether she was joking or not. Dot nodded, "Yes, you can stop with me for a while until your back on your feet." Harley gave her a warm smile, "Ok then, let me just get changed." And dot left the room. Ten minutes later, they left the hospital.

Once back home, Harley admired the house and how clean and homely it looked. Dot led him into the kitchen and he sat down at the table, Dot put the kettle on. "Do you know I never suspected Carol getting pregnant, whether I'm blind as a bat or not remains to be seen." She exclaimed as she put the hot water into the tea pot. She then joined him at the table and said in a serious voice, "Now I don't want to be contradicting Harley but are you sure they are your real parents?", Harley nodded, "Yeah, they are. My so called mum told me everything, she's my real moms sister so that makes her my aunt." Dot nodded then, eager for the boy to tell his tale. Harley took a sip of tea and spoke again, "I'm seventeen years old. Well nearly. My birthday ain't till July. My mum and dad go back a long way, he got her pregnant at fourteen and he was forced to leave her because Uncle Derek beat him up. Nasty bastard. Anyway, they reunited years later and they started an affair but mom had married this bloke at that point. Alan Jackson. Then Dad was sent away by Nana Pat and not long after my real mother discovered she was pregnant with me." He took another sip of tea, "She was gonna have an abortion but she couldn't go through with it. Then April, my adoptive mother discovered she couldn't get pregnant so mum decided to have the baby for her. I was born and I was given away." Dot looked at him and realised he was be I g serious, "Does your father know you exist?", She asked and Harley nodded again, "Yeah, Nana Pat seen to that. He was staying with my Uncle Simon at the time. But I've never seen him ans I've never seen my mum either. Anyway, I only found out about my real parents when I found my birth certificate in the wardrobe and April told me 's why I'm here." Dot felt pity for this boy but she hoped that what she was going to tell him would lighten his spirits. "Your mother and father got married last month and they live across the square.", She said and Harleys eyes widen with surprise, "You mean they live here?", he asked, then his face broke into a smile then Dot said, "Your mother also had breast cancer but she's fine now." Harley digested the information given and was really pleased with what he had found out. But the question was, were his parents gonna be happy to see him?


	3. Chapter 3 A whole new home

Harley had been in Albert Square for two weeks and still couldn't pluck up the courage to reveal himself to his parents, Dot had been a tremendous help to him, providing him with food, security and love while Dot loved having him over to stay, he was a great comfort to her and they were family, he was her husband's grandson after all. One afternoon Harley was getting dressed when he heard commotion coming from outside, he went to a window and opened it, a girl was arguing with a blonde haired boy and was putting her hands over her stomach. Harley then realised the girl was pregnant and sighed. His own mother had his elder sister at fifteen but had somehow managed to be a good mother, he really wanted to know her and his father but he couldn't find the courage to go and see them, they only lived in the next street. He watched the girl run of in tears and stared at the blonde boy for a while then he saw him staring, "What the fuck are you looking at?!", He yelled up to Harley and he realised that the boy had to be older than him, "Nothing mate. Why are you giving that girl grief for? She's pregnant." Peter Beale rolled his eyes, "I wasn't giving her grief, she's been stealing from me." He yelled up to the window, "How do you know it's her?", Harley responded, "Because it can't be anyone else's, that's why." Harley shut the window then and finished getting dressed before going downstairs, Dot was preparing breakfast in the kitchen when she saw Harley come in, "oh Harley, good morning. I'm just preparing breakfast do you want anything?", She said merrily, Harley shook his head, "No, it's alright Dot, I'm going for a walk around the square, see if I can get a job." He kissed on the cheek and walked out of the house.

Going past Arthur Fowlers bench, he saw the girl crying and holding her stomach and for a minute he thought she was in pain, he walked past her. "Are you alright, Love?" He said kindly and the girl looked up, seeing the handsome boy sitting beside her. Cindy Williams was in her second trimester, the father of her child was TJ Spraggen but he had left only the day before after his father had decided to give his ex wife another chance and move away from the square. Cindy had been devastated by this and to top it all Peter was accusing her of stealing, it wasn't fair. "Listen, you can talk to me, im not going to judge you.", Harley said reassuringly and Cindy wiped her eyes, "My brothers accused me of something I haven't done and the father of my baby has left me." She said through her tears, she saw Harley look at her in pity and suddenly became defensive, "I'm not a slag alright?!" Harley was taken aback, "I never said you was, my mum was a teenager when she had my sister. I'm Harley by the way." He added and Cindy smiled at him, "I'm Cindy. I never knew my mum, she died after I was born, my aunt looked after me though. What about your mum and Dad?", She asked and Harley didn't answer her. He was worried that she wouldn't believe him. "Oh my aunt looked after me too, I'm adopted. My real parents live here." He said quickly, Cindy didn't understand him at first. Then she smiled, "I'm sure that we will be happy to see you. Anyway, I've got to go to school now, I'll see you around." And she left.

Harley was leaning against the car lot wall later that night. He had managed to secure a job on the stalls and worked close by to a red head with a fiery temper then had learned that her name was Bianca Butcher, his long lost sister. He was happy he had secured a job there now. He still was reluctant to reveal his identity to his parents though and didn't think he ever would. He was brought out of his reverie when a woman approached him, "Are you ok?", she called,Harley flinched. Then he got a better view of her, she was a nice looking woman, very pretty, wearing a brown coat and with her hair in a bun. Harley then noticed that he and her looked alike and the woman could see that too. Harley was had seen a photo of her. "Do I know you?", She asked, looking him up and down, transfixed. "No!" He said quickly and he ran in the direction of Dots house. Dot was in the living room watching hers and Jim's wedding video, Harley went in and sat beside her, "Good news Dot, I've got a job." He said and Dot smiled, "Oh that's great news. Here, come and have a look at this." She said and Harley joined her at the sofa, he stared at the tv and was transfixed by the old man dancing with Dot, "That's your grandfather Jim. He's in a care home now." She said in a sad voice and Harley took her hand as they watched the video together.

When Harley went to bed that night he thought back to the woman he had encountered at the car lot. She looked familiar somehow and he was intrigued and curious to know how he knew her. Then he remembered he had a photo somewhere and decided to have a look. He rummaged through drawers and through the wardrobe before finally coming across a box underneath his bed. Pulling it out, he put it on the bed, emptying it before finally coming across a photo. Then he realised who the woman was. The woman he had encountered was his long lost mother. Carol Jackson.


	4. Chapter 4 The unknown finding

Over the next few days, Harley was intrigued by the identity of his mother. She hadn't change abit from the photo he had seen of her around the time of his conception only difference was she was older. He should have revealed himself then and there but he couldn't bring himself to do so.

One Thursday afternoon, Harley was working on the stall when he spotted someone hovering over the clothes stall, Harley kept a close eye on her and when she grabbed a small black skirt, he went up to her and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, "Oi, what the fuck are you doing?!", she shouted as Harley dragged her towards Bianca. "Caught her nicking." Harley said to Bianca who looked surprised. The girl removed herself from his grasp and shouted, "I weren't fucking nicking! I was gonna pay for them!", and she took out her purse from her jeans pocket taking out a tenner and passing it to Bianca who took it and gave her the skirt in a bag. The girl stuck her fingers at Harley who scowled at her. Then Bianca turned on him, "Harley, What do you think your playing at?!", she snapped and Harley stood there not answering, "Your losing me customers. Go on, your sacked! Your bloody useless!", she shouted and Harley stormed off. Why didn't he tell Bianca about he really was when he applied? She wouldn't have believed him though, would have thought he was a nutter with nothing better to do but say he was something he wasn't. He walked up Albert Square and watched the residents in their day to day activities, Winston selling stuff on the market, Ian cleaning tables outside his cafe and his mother. His mother. Carol was helping Ian with the costumers outside and was oblivious to the knowledge that her long lost son was watching her. But seeing him for the first time a few days ago had brought up the past and when she had to make the hardest decision to save her marriage. The boy had looked familiar somehow and Carol had a sneaking suspicion that he was the son that had been brought up by her sister. She had to know more about him and she hoped to see him again. And then out of the corner of her eye she saw him. Harley was standing in the middle of the square looking at her. She blinked her eyes and looked in the same direction again but this time he was gone.

Harley ran up the alleyway, dodging people as he ran. Finally he took refuge behind the car lot. she was starting to suss him out now, he knew it. He sunk downwards and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. He couldn't go back to Dot and tell her he didn't have a job because he feared that she would tell him to leave and then he would have to go back but he couldn't, now knowing that April wasn't his biological mother. He buried his face in his hands, not knowing what to do.

"Excuse me, are you alright?", a voice called out and Harley jumped to his feet. A man approached him, a tall dark, handsome middle aged man dressed in a suit walked towards him, "Yeah I'm ok." Harley responded, the bloke got further to him. He looked him over and then said, "Don't I know you? Oh yeah, your that lad who got the sack from the stall. Bit stupid that, concluding that someone was nicking when they weren't. But still we all make mistakes." He said in a patronising tone and Harley felt an urge to punch him but instead he barged past him and walked onwards. "Never mind mate. You can always get a job in the cafe." The man called after him, Harley walked faster up the square, in the direction of the square.

He was unaware that the man he had just spoken too was his biological father.

David Wicks.


	5. Chapter 5 Harleys birthday drama

It was Harleys 17th birthday and Dot awoke him early with a full English breakfast and a cup of tea which Harley enjoyed and thanked Dot politely for then she gave him a present that made him blush with embarrassment, a pale green jumper, the very sort of which his grandad wore. "You'll be like a miniature version of your grandfather." Dot remarked proudly and Harley smiled and acted enthusiastic but secretly he wouldn't be seen dead in the jumper. Harley then went upstairs and opened the loose floor board, he grabbed a wide shoe box which had been given to him by his adoptive mother after he had learned that she wasn't his real mother. Inside the box, on the top, were a collection of birthday and Christmas cards. He opened the birthday cards one by one and all of which had the same message,

"Dear Harley.

Happy birthday.

Lots of Love

C

Xxxx

He felt himself tearing up knowing that Carol had wanted to be a part of his life but hadn't been allowed too, he also felt himself crumbling because there was no cards of his real father, giving Harley the impression that he wasn't interested in him. Bollocks to him. If he couldn't be bothered to send at least a card then he wasn't worth knowing. Then Harley felt guilty for thinking like that, he was still his father at the end of the day, he was half the reason he existed. He was about to put the cards back under the floor board when the door opened and Dot appeared with two more birthday cards.

"What are you doing Harley?" She asked looking over his shoulder at the shoebox, Harley tried to cram the cards back in and make sure that the other stuff didn't fall out in the process, he was yet to see those. But Dot, despite her advancing age, was to quick for him. She seen the birthday cards. "Whose are they from?", She asked as Harley put them into the shoebox, taking a deep breath, "My real mom. She cared for me but yet she couldn't be a mother to me." Harley mumbled and Dot placed a hand on his shoulder, "Look Harley, I can give you the address, don't you think you should tell your mother and father who you are?", She said gently but Harley shook his head furiously, "No and besides my dad won't want to know me anyway. Couldn't be bothered to send me a card!", He said furiously as he shoved the box under the floor board. Dot promptly left the room leaving the cards on the bedside table. Harley picked them up and opened them, One was off Cindy the other was of Peter. Harley smiled to himself and decided to go and spend his birthday money, courtesy of April who had sent it him.

In the square, Harley was eyeing up a pair a jeans on the Market when a tough looking Brown haired boy approached him, "Alright mate, not seen you here before." He said in a friendly tone and Harley smiled at him, "I'm new to the square. My name's Harley." The other smiled and shook his hand, "I'm Jay. Jay Brown. Got your eye on anything?", he added when he saw Harleys eyes wander onto the pair of jeans, "Those Jeans look alright, it's my birthday today." Harley said and Jay replied, "Happy Birthday Mate. Better be quick with those jeans though, someone else was eyeing them up." Harley approached the stall and picked the jeans up, he took them to Bianca who didn't look to happy to see him but who served him anyway. "See you around, I've got to get ready for work." Jay said then he walked away.

Later when it approached half past eight and after a day just strolling around the square,Harley began walking up the alleyway when he heard footsteps follow him. He turned around and saw a burly looking boy standing behind him sporting a scowl on his face and clenching his fists, "Where's the jeans?!", He thundered as he grabbed Harley by the scruff of the neck and pinned him against the wall. "I brought them first mate!", Harley stammered as he felt a hand go round his throat, "Yeah well I fucking saw them first and you nicked them and I want them, now fucking hand them over, you thieving bastard!", He shouted and Harley dropped the bag onto the floor making sure his birthday money didn't fall out of his Jean pocket. The other boy grabbed the bag and then turned on Harley once again, "I think you need to be taught some matters." He said in a smug nasty voice and punched Harley in the stomach then he did it again and then he threw him on the floor...

"Oi!", shouted a voice and a man ran towards the alleyway, the boy legged it up the street and the man gave up running and went back to Harley,"You ok?", he asked in a concerned tone of voice as he pulled Harley onto his feet. "I'm fine." Harley stammered as he clutched his stomach. "I don't know why people think it's ok to rob others." The man remarked to himself then on closer look Harley realised this was the same man who approached him not so long ago by the car lot. Unbeknownst to him, the man was his real father. "I think I'm gonna be ok now. Thanks for your help." Harley said genuinely and tried to walk through bridge street but David put his hand on his shoulder, "You sure your ok because you've just had your guys kicked in?", he asked but Harley was desperate to get back to Dot before she started to worry, "I'm fine mate really. But thanks for your help anyway." He said kindly before he legged it up the street. He made it to Dots within a few minutes.

He was unaware someone was watching him.

The next day Harley, once more deciding to go out into the square, went straight to the park where he watched mother's strolling with their babies and little children playing on the playground equipment. "Hello Harley." Cindy called as she made her towards him, Harley smiled back and gave her a hug, feeling her baby bump against his stomach, "Alright Cindy? Baby well on?", he asked referring to the baby that Cindy was having. Cindy smiled at him, "Fine. I'm getting back ache though and I'm craving weird stuff like mayonnaise and feral together and jam and bacon sandwiches. Did you get my birthday card?", She asked walking with him towards the park, Harley nodded, "Yeah, thanks. So what are you doing? Ain't you supposed at school?", he remarked cheekily, making tutting noises as well, Cindy raised her eyebrows at him, "Never had you down as the type of person who obeyed by the rules. I'm bunking off with some friends today and I'm meeting them in the park, do you want to meet them?", Harley nodded and they sat on the swings. At last three people arrived, two boys and a girl, "Harley, I'd like you to meet Rebecca, Liam and Ryan." Harley smiled at them all and they smiled back, "Got any fags mate?", Ryan asked and Harley noticed that Liam and Rebecca looked uncomfortable, he shook his head, "No mate sorry." He said honestly and Ryan shrugged, grabbing what looked like a bottle of Vodka from his bag, "None for me obviously. Ask them two if they want a swig." Said Colindy pointing at Rebecca and Liam who looked as if they didn't want to be there in the first place. Harley stepped in then, "Here let me have a swig. I'm parched." Ryan shrugged again and gave him the bottle, which Harley then took several swigs from. This was a bad idea as he started to feel light headed. Liam then lit himself a fag and began to take several drags from it, feeling confident now. Rebecca was about to take the day from him, when a voice bellowed.

"Liam Butcher! You are in serious trouble!"

Harley almost fell of the swing when he saw where the voice was coming from. Bianca marched up the park and seeing the half empty bottle of vodka and packet of fags, she seized Liam by his arm and shouted, "What the hell do you think your doing?!", liam was about to answer when Bianca immediately spotted Harley, "Oh I might have known you would be involved. Didn't like the fact that you got the sack so you decide to get my son drunk and smoking his lungs out?! You scumbag, you stay away from my family!", she shouted and Harley felt humiliated then Bianca grabbed Rebecca by the arm, "You wait till I tell your mom what you've been up too an all!", and she dragged them both away. Cindy stook her fingers at Bianca and laughed but Harley didn't feel like laughing. Then, realising that Harley was upset, Cindy put her arm around him, "I'm sorry about that, didn't think she would see us." Harley was angry now, "Well you thought fucking wrong didn't you?!", He yelled and he stormed off towards the back of the car lot.

Once there he cried with the unfairness of the fact that Bianca, his full sibling whom he shared a mum and a dad with, had accused him of trying to get her son and niece drunk. Then a thought occured to him. If Liam and Rebecca were cousins then this meant Harley was their uncle. He had communicated with his niece and nephew without realising it. Liam had to be a year younger than him at least and Rebbecca a few year younger. Harley was amazed. But what about his dad? The one person he wanted answers from. He could go to the address that Dot had for him but it was pointless. He probably wouldn't know who he was anyway.

He was unaware that both his mother and father were in the car lot now, pumping away at each other while there were no customers. Whenever the car lot was unbusy David would close early and he and Carol would have sneaky fun against the desk or on the could hear banging coming from inside but thought that it was something being mended or maybe the heater was playing up. He left the area a few minutes later, going home to his stepgrandmother, the only person who knew his true parentage and who had sworn to keep it a secret.


End file.
